5 Actors Who Auditioned for James Bond Alongside Daniel Craig, Including Two Marvel Stars

Movie castings have always been a hot topic, but every time a new James Bond is announced, it takes the world by storm. The role that originated with Sean Connery has gone on to become a starmaker, defining the careers of subsequent actors who have taken up the 007 mantle, like Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig.

It’s hard to imagine a world where Craig wasn’t the Bond from 2006’s Casino Royale through 2021’s No Time to Die, although it very nearly happened. Several other actors auditioned for the role, and considering the roles we’ve seen them in since, these five could have easily pulled off the role.

5) Matthew Rhys

Matthew Rhys is a Welsh actor who rose to prominence with his role in the 2006 series Brothers & Sisters. Ahead of his Bond audition, however, he appeared in films like 1997’s House of America and 1999’s Titus. Although he didn’t wind up becoming the next 007, Rhys has given fantastic performances in projects like the 2020 HBO series Perry Mason and the 2026 smash hit for Apple TV+, Widow’s Bay, as well as movies like 2017’s The Post and 2024’s Saturday Night.

According to Rhys, a simple joke is why he didn’t get the role (via Variety). While auditioning, he was hit with a surprising question: “What would you do differently with Bond?” Not sure how to answer, Rhys joked, “I’d give him a limp.” After nobody laughed, he doubled down by suggesting Bond should have an eyepatch, which also didn’t work. So, Rhys left the audition room, and the role went to Craig.

4) Dougray Scott

Scottish actor Dougray Scott also auditioned for the Bond role in Casino Royale, with him being one of the more heavily rumored candidates at the time (via The Guardian). Scott got his start in theater, but he began appearing in movies and TV shows in the 1980s and 1990s, with his breakout role being 1997’s Twin Town. Scott would go on to become popular overseas with his roles in films like 1998’s Ever After and 2000’s Mission: Impossible 2, the latter of which proved that Scott was comfortable working in spy action movies.

Not very much is known about Scott’s Bond audition, with it being up to speculation to decide why he was turned down. Daniel Craig was famously a unique take on Bond, with his casting receiving backlash at the time of its announcement. It is possible that this was an intentional choice, and that Scott would have been considered too similar to his predecessors like Brosnan and Timothy Dalton. It would undeniably have been interesting to see what Scott was like in the role, even if Craig was an incredible 007.

3) Sam Worthington

Sam Worthington is an Australian actor who broke out after his roles in films like 2000’s Bootmen and 2004’s Somersault, landing him an audition for the next James Bond. Unfortunately, Worthington didn’t land the role, and we aren’t sure why. It is possible that he was deemed too young for Bond, as the job went to an actor eight years older than him. It could also be due to Worthington being Australian, a nationality only shared by one former Bond actor: George Lazenby.

Worthington has gone on to prove that he can handle big-budget action movies like the 007 films, and honestly, it might have been a good thing for him that he wasn’t cast. Only a few years after the audition, Worthington starred in 2009’s Avatar, which would go on to become the highest-grossing movie of all time. Worthington has continued to star in the Avatar films, while also appearing in other major franchises like Terminator.

2) Karl Urban

Karl Urban is a New Zealand actor most famous for his iconic role as Billy Butcher in Prime Video’s The Boys, where he plays the leader of the titular superhero-killing rebel group. Urban began landing major movie roles in the early 2000s, with him going on to appear in the second and third film in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Bourne Supremacy, Star Trek, and Doom. Urban would even join the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2017 with the release of Thor: Ragnarok, where he plays the secondary villain Skurge.

However, many don’t know that 007 was almost added to the extensive list of Urban’s major franchises. The actor seemingly got pretty far into the auditioning process, although he missed out on the role because a prior scheduling commitment kept him from attending the final screen test (Daily Mail). Luckily, Urban still managed to have a massive career, continuing to appear in blockbusters up to this year, like 2026’s Mortal Kombat II.

1) Michael Fassbender

Michael Fassbender is a German and Irish actor who exploded in popularity after some key early roles, including the 2001 HBO miniseries Band of Brothers as well as his feature film debut, 2006’s 300. Fassbender has gone on to appear in modern classics like 2009‘s Inglourious Basterds and 2013’s 12 Years a Slave. The actor has also appeared in major franchises on par with 007, as he portrayed David in Prometheus and its sequel, as well as Magneto in FOX’s X-Men prequel films.

Fassbender auditioned for the role of Bond in Casino Royale, and while he didn’t get the role like the other actors on this list, his exit from the project is a little more interesting. According to Fassbender, he actually recommended Daniel Craig to the producers while auditioning (via Variety). While Fassbender may have been kicking himself when he realized that the man he recommended wound up beating him for the role, it is interesting to wonder whether things would have been different if Fassbender hadn’t said anything.

Which of these actors would you most want to see play James Bond? Let us know on the ComicBook Forum!

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